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Celebrate World Fair Trade Day By Taking Action!
This Saturday, May 10th is World Fair Trade Day. This is a time for all of us to reflect on the kind of world we want and the steps we need to take to get there. Here are just a few ideas from Fair World Project:

There are no two ways around it: Equal Exchange is experiencing a tricky and protracted period of disruption in banana supply. Equal Exchange works with independent 3rd parties along our chain, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Our reason for existence is to purchase bananas fairly from small-scale producers while challenging the undemocratic nature of the multinational model. Our goal is to also supply consistent and quality bananas on the store level.While upsets in our chain may be common, they tend to be isolated blips that we work hard to minimize.

Coffee lovers are discerning people, and there’s a lot to say about its many flavors, aromas, and origins – but one of the biggest differences between coffees is most striking before it even reaches your cup.

Do you support small farmers? Do you drink coffee; not just any coffee, but delicious, well-balanced, highly crafted blends of organic coffee? Then you will want to look for these Equal Exchange SPP-certified blends at your local food co-operative or natural food store. Click here to learn more about the Small Producer Symbol (SPP), what it stands for, why it was created, and how you can join with us to support small farmers throughout the world.

Join Equal Exchange and small farmer organizations in the Authentic Fair Trade Revolution!

How much do you know about what’s really behind the different food labels we use when choosing which products to buy?
Confused about the difference between “organic” and “all “natural”? “Free range”, “cage free”, “natural”, and “organic”?
What about free trade vs fair trade?
How do the top three Fair Trade certification systems, Fairtrade International, Fair for Life, and Fair Trade USA rank in terms of their labeling criteria, level of producer involvement, social justice standards, and overall integrity?

For all of you who couldn’t make the first Fair Trade Banana Conference held by Equal Exchange last month here in Boston, I encourage you to read this blog post by Aliza Wasserman. Aliza has done a great job summarizing some of the main concerns facing small banana producers, alternative traders, and committed stores and consumers, that were discussed during our two day conference. You can also read more about the conference and ideas for follow-up here.

Mark your calendar and spread the word! The television premiere of SHIFT CHANGE is Sunday, April 6 at 5pm PST onKCTS-9 (Seattle’s PBS affiliate).
Because KCTS-9 also broadcasts via KYVE-47 and various cable and satellite channels, SHIFT CHANGE will be seen throughout the Northwest and in many parts of Canada.

Thank you for attending the Equal Exchange Banana Conference!
Participants came willing to ask the difficult questions and contend with imperfect solutions. And while we only scratched the surface, it’s clear that we have the building blocks of a real movement for change.